


we'll be better

by Nerdygirlygirl



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Minor Violence, Post-Season/Series 03, honestly i'm probably not the best at writing a fight scene, if you can call it that, the rest of the gang makes an appearance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-07-19 05:33:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7347169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerdygirlygirl/pseuds/Nerdygirlygirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke finds out what Octavia did to Bellamy in the cave after Lincoln died and gets angry with her. Octavia has a few things to say to Clarke too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we'll be better

**Author's Note:**

> I got this idea in my head and I was really excited to write it so I did. I really like how it came out. I hope you do too!

Clarke finds her in the training room, which seems fitting.

“Octavia,” Clarke calls to the other girl across the room.

“What?” Octavia snaps as she turns around from the bag Lincoln had set up in the corner with her hair plastered to her face in sweat.

“I can’t believe you did that to him.” Clarke storms across the room towards her.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Octavia looks genuinely confused and Clarke falters, but Miller wouldn’t lie and he said he was there. They tried to get her to stop, but the idiot that Bellamy is let her do it.

“Bellamy,” Clarke says quietly.

“What about it?” Octavia growls.

“You beat the shit out of him while he was chained to a wall.”

Octavia just raises an eyebrow at Clarke, but Clarke sees something flash in Octavia’s eyes before they harden again.

“He’s your brother.” Clarke tires to plead with her. “He gave up everything for you. He followed you to the ground to keep you safe. He was there for you on the Ark and kept you safe then, too. He would do anything for you.

“You don’t know the first thing about brothers.” Octavia gets in Clarke’s face.

“I know Bellamy and I know you. This is not you,” Clarke sighed. “I get it, Octavia. You’re hurt because you lost Linc – someone you loved. We’ve all been there – “

“You don’t know shit, Clarke! You left the first chance you got! You went running to fucking Lexa,” Octavia sneers her name. “Who betrayed us! And left _my brother_ in there to die! You don’t know anything!”

“Really, Octavia! I had to kill Finn with my own hands – someone I loved. I watched Lexa take her last breaths – someone I loved. You don’t think I get it!”

“And what did you do after Finn died and you killed a mountain full of people, you left, Clarke. You left my brother when he needed you. So you don’t get to come in here on your fucking high horse and tell me what I’m supposed to do.” Octavia turns her back on her.

Clarke takes a deep breath knowing anger isn’t wants going to solve this problem.

“I know, Octavia. I know I hurt him and all of you by leaving. I can’t say ‘I’m sorry’ enough times for that, but I can make it up to you all by being here every day and being the leader I was supposed to be. It’s the only thing I know to do to fix this.” Clarke pauses before continuing. “But there is something you can do. You can apologize to Bellamy. He wouldn’t accept it because he thinks he deserves it, but he’d give you the forgiveness _you_ need and you’ll give him his little sister back that he _needs_.”

“ _What I need_ ,” Octavia’s voice drops in a dangerous level and that’s the only warning Clarke gets before Octavia’s fist connects with her jaw. “What I need is Lincoln back. What I need is my home back. What I need is for the love of my life back.”

Each sentence is punctuated with a fist thrown at Clarke. By the third Clarke has finally gotten her senses back and blocks it and throws Octavia backwards unbalancing the other girl.

Octavia recovers quickly and comes back with a well-placed kick to Clarke’s stomach and Clarke has to catch her breath and it gives Octavia the advantage to tackle Clarke to the ground. They land with Octavia straddling Clarke’s stomach and Octavia begins to land punches against Clarke. Clarke is able to protect herself from most of them and tries to use her weight to flip Octavia like Lexa taught her, but while Clarke is heavier, Octavia is stronger and pushes back down.

Finally, Clarke grabs one of Octavia’s wrists and creates an opening to throw a punch at Octavia’s face connecting with her nose. Octavia’s head is thrown backwards and blood drips down her face as Clarke pushes up and knocks the other girl over and is able to straddle Octavia pinning her hands down.

“Are you done?” Clarke asks breathlessly.

Octavia struggles for a second before nodding – all of her anger has evaporated and left her deflated.

“If I let go of you, are you going to punch me again?” Clarke asks with a smirk.

Octavia gives Clarke an unimpressed look. “Get off me, Clarke.” It comes out garbled as the blood from a clearly broken nose has streamed into Octavia’s mouth.

Clarke rolls over and lands on her back next to Octavia while they both catch their breath.

“You’ve got a nice hook,” Octavia mumbles while she tries to stop the blood flow.

“Plug your nose and tip your head back,” Clarke advises in return. “And thanks, I learned that from your brother.”

Octavia scoffs. “You tried to dislodge me and didn’t. He needs to learn some more hand to hand combat if that’s the best he taught you.”

“That’s all he taught me,” Clarke sighs. “I learned the other thing from Lexa.”

There’s an awkward pause before Octavia asks.

“You loved her? Lexa?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“She was it for you?”

Clarke things about it and shakes her head. “I’d like to say yes, but I think we found each other at a time when we needed each other. Long term, we were too different for it to work.”

“What about my brother?” Octavia turns her head to face Clarke and Clarke copies the position.

“What about him?”

“Nothing.”

“Octavia,“ Clarke sighs.

“I think you just need to be careful when it comes to him. You left him once and it hurt him. I may have been the only one who could see it, but it hurt him. He wasn’t even close to happy again until he met –“ Octavia cuts herself off.

“Gina?”

“Yeah,” Octavia turns back to look at the ceiling. “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go after something for himself.”

Clarke reaches over and squeezes her hand.

“Then he loses her and just fucking loses it. Joins up with Pike – do you know the only reason why Pike got elected was because Bellamy started a chant using Pike’s name? Harper told me. Bellamy doesn’t realize how many people look up to him and he threw it all away to get behind _him_.”

“He made a mistake and he tried to get out when he saw what was happening.”

“Clarke, he tried to turn you over to Pike. You would have been killed.”

“And I left him after we killed a mountain full of people together. We all do things we regret. We can’t change them. The important thing we do is to ask for forgiveness when we can and learn from those mistakes.”

“Did you ask Bell for forgiveness?”

“No,” Clarke sighs. “He gave it to me anyway – he always does, but I should tell him how sorry I am and I will.” Clarke turns to look at Octavia again and can see a silent tear tracks down her face. “And you can too. You haven’t lost him yet.”

Octavia turns to meet Clarke’s eyes. “We need to be better for him.”

Clarke nods.

“Me and you, Clarke. No one else. This camp may need him, but he needs us and we can’t let him down again. We need to be better for him.”

Clarke can feel the tears forming in her eyes. “We will, Octavia. I promise.”

Octavia nods and turns to look at the ceiling again and the two sit in silence for a few minutes.

“We should get your nose looked at. It might be broken.” Clarke stands up and offers a hand to Octavia and pulls her up.

“I should probably go talk to Bell like this. Show him his own handiwork.” Octavia’s grin is terrifying with the blood coating her teeth and the feral look she gives, but her eyes are mischievous and glinting with some of the innocence that Octavia had those first few days on the ground.

“Yeah, I don’t think so.” Clarke shakes her head. “Your brother will hate me forever if he finds out.”

“Clarke,” Octavia’s voice is soft. “I really don’t think Bellamy could ever hate you, you know that right?”

“Octavia –“

“What the hell is going on here?” Bellamy comes storming in from the outside and stops to look at them both. “Octavia.” Bellamy quickly crosses the room and then stops just out of arms reach from his sister while his worried eyes scans her face. “What happened?”

“Oh, just working some stuff out with Clarke,” Octavia gives him a big smile which causes Bellamy to blink a few times before his eyes dart to Clarke and back to Octavia. “Nice right hook she’s got. I hear it’s your handiwork.”

“Clarke, what did –“

“I started it,” Octavia cuts him off. “It’s my fault.”

“O,” Bellamy rubs a hand down his face and sighs.

Octavia lets go of the hand still entwined with Clarke’s and crosses the remaining space between her and her brother and wraps her arms around his waist and buries her face in his chest.

Bellamy stands there frozen with his hands hovering around her before he drops them around her smaller frame and pulls her in even more.

“I know I don’t deserve it,” Octavia says quietly.

“O, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

Octavia shakes her head and pulls back enough to look Bellamy in the eyes. “No, I need to. I am so very sorry for what I did to you back in that cave. Losing Lincoln was hard, but that’s not an excuse for hurting you like that. After everything you’ve done for me,” Octavia chokes back a sob. “You’ve always been there to protect me and I was hurting and I wanted to blame someone and I felt like it was your fault since you were supposed to protect me from ever feeling that. I am so sorry, big brother. I will spend the rest of my life earning your forgiveness.”

Bellamy’s eyes are swimming and he clears his throat before he says anything. “You don’t have to work for anything, Octavia. You already have it and I’m so sorry for letting Pike get that far. I should have gotten Lincoln out –“

“There was nothing you could do. Lincoln went back for the rest of his people. Pike was threatening them and he told Lincoln if he turned himself in they would be safe. It was all Pike’s fault. Not yours. And I know you want me to feel bad for killing him, but I can’t – not right now.”

“Did it help?” Bellamy asks quietly.

“Did it help killing all those grounders after losing Gina?”

Bellamy sighs and pulls Octavia closer. “No.”

“It’s the same for me, but at least I never have to see his face and see him put a gun to Lincoln’s head and pull the trigger.”

“Okay, O. I’m not happy about it, but it’s done. We just need to be better.”

“And we will be,” Octavia shoots a smile to Clarke before pulling away from Bellamy. “I should go find Abby and get this checked out.” Octavia makes a gesture towards her face. “I’ll see you guys for dinner.”

“I’ll come with you.” Bellamy starts to follow and Octavia shakes her head.

“I think Clarke needs you.”

Bellamy turns a questioning look on Clarke and Octavia gives Clarke a thumbs up before slipping out the door.

“You okay?” Bellamy’s eyes rake over Clarke’s form.

“Probably just bruising. I was able to block most of Octavia’s punches.” Clarke gestures to her face.

“Do I want to know?” Bellamy sighs wearily.

“Nope,” Clarke pops the _p_ and grins at him. “Like Octavia said, just working some things out.”

Bellamy nods and glances at the door where Octavia disappeared to. “I really hope this isn’t how she decides to settle all her issues.”

“I don’t think so. She just had a few things to get off her chest. She’ll be better from now on.”

Bellamy nods and remains facing the door so Clarke crosses the room and places a hand on his arm and Bellamy turns towards her

“I did have something to say to you,” Clarke clears her throat. “I am sorry for leaving you after Mount Weather. I know you forgave me, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that I did it nor that I never apologized for it. You offered me forgiveness and I didn’t take it because I felt like I didn’t deserve it.”

“Clarke –“

“Let me finish,” Clarke smiles. “And I’m sorry for not coming home with you when you came to Polis. I didn’t want to stay there. I wanted to come home, but I didn’t trust Lexa then and I didn’t trust anyone else. I had to stay there to make sure you were all safe. I wasn’t sure yet if I could return, but I knew, even if I never did, you would all be safe. That’s all I wanted for everyone.”

“All we wanted, Clarke, was for you to be here with us,” Bellamy says quietly. “I understand why you had to leave. I get why you had to stay – I didn’t like it, but I get it. I do have one question.”

“Anything,” Clarke squeezes his arm where her hand is still resting.

“Would you have stayed?”

Clarke gives Bellamy a confused look and he looks down at his feet before looking back up.

“When the alliance was secure and the Sky People were the thirteenth clan, would you have stayed in Polis – with Lexa?”

Clarke sighs and glances down. Bellamy can read her like an open book so she could only offer him the truth.

“I don’t know.” Clarke raises her eyes to meet his. “I really don’t know. I loved Lexa, but I don’t know what future we could have had. I do know that no matter what I would always be there for you – and our people.”

Bellamy looks down and nods before giving Clarke a smirk.

“Well it seems you’ve got more game than I have with girls on the ground.”

Clarke’s jaw drops before she lets out a loud bark of laughter and punches Bellamy in the arm. He winces and rubs his arm and looks down at it.

“You’re an ass,” Clarke says through her laughter.

“What?” Bellamy shrugs. “First Niylah, then Lexa.”

“Did you forget all the girls who spent most of their time ogling you in your shirtless state when we first arrived on the ground?” Clarke starts to walk out the door with Bellamy on her heels.

“My shirtless state?” Bellamy smirks. “Didn’t realize the princess was paying so close attention back then.”

“You never wore a shirt, it’s all the other girls could talk about.” Clarke smiles back in return as they make their way to the mess hall.

“And here I thought you guys couldn’t have any fun before I got to the ground,” Raven’s voice comes up from behind them as she moves slowly towards them. Clarke and Bellamy automatically slow for her join them. “When we start building again, are you going to be shirtless than too, Blake?”

Clarke’s laughter drowns out Bellamy’s groan.

“Because I can think of a few girls who would be happy to join the construction team for that.” Raven continues as they get in line for dinner.

“And guys,” Murphy adds as he gets in line behind them.

“Oh yeah, definitely the guys,” Miller adds from next to him.

“Shut up,” Bellamy grumbles crossing his arms.

“I mean just look at those arms,” Murphy pokes one of Bellamy’s biceps and Bellamy pushes the younger man away.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Oh, we already do,” Miller smirks at Bellamy.

“Fuck you, Miller.”

“Love you, too, Blake.”

Clarke joins Raven in laughing at Bellamy’s grumpy expression and no one bats an eye when Octavia pushes her way in between Bellamy and Raven allowing Clarke and her to sandwich Bellamy, but Murphy raises an eyebrow at her.

“What’s with your face, little Blake?”

“Fuck off, Murphy.” Octavia grins. “Clarke’s got a mean right hook.”

“Damn straight,” Clarke mutters into her food.

**Author's Note:**

> As always comments and kudos are much appreciated, but not mandatory! Also come hang out with me on [tumblr](thediaryofanerdygirlygirl.tumblr.com) I'm going to try and get my queue back together so it looks like I'm actually around even though I'm not.


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